Long Long ago...it begins

Emily over at Mommy's Nap Time is starting a Linky party called Sew Thinky Thursday. Today she is asking when did you start sewing?  a bit about your sewing history and when did you know you were hooked?

Well??? I am the youngest of 7 girls. My mother had to sew all our clothes with that many girls. From the clothing scraps we made Barbie doll clothes, designed paper doll clothes and learned to iron old wash clothes and hankies. I think one of my proudest moments came when I had cut out and made an entire outfit for myself when I was about 6 or 7 years old. No matter that it was pink variegated  snub double knit! I think it was the idea of cutting something up and putting it back together that had me hooked.

I joined our local 4-H group and made items and clothing which I modeled. I remember a tweedy suit jacket that won and went to the State fair. When I graduated from high school my present to myself was to buy my own sewing machine. I still have that machine and use it even though it is about 34 years old now. I did find time to sew at college now and then and later when I had my own apartment. I made bridesmaid dresses and a few wedding dresses including my own. In our first apartment of married life I sat on the floor at a coffee table and put together my first baby quilt (not for me) to try out a pattern. My mother has done hand quilting to quilt her quilts forever. I wanted to connect with her and sort of do a collaboration where I pieced (to improve) and she quilted.

My first big quilt started in 8th grade all cut out by drawing onto fabric and cutting with scissors.

I found we had a charity in my town called Project Linus and I wanted to see if we could do some quilts together for that cause.  That started out great until I realized my mother was getting older and the amount of quilting projects she was going to be able to do was going to end. I started saving the pieces we did together. 

I hope to pass these down someday to someone in my family to keep her work alive.

Early in the spring of 2012, I went to visit my mother then 93 years old. I asked if she wanted to help me with a QOV that I wanted to do for my local quilt guild bi-annual Quilt show. We were able to take turns sewing and ironing and we were able to complete 5 of the blocks for the above quilt Bournoigne Surrounded.  When I got back home I saw that we each sewed slightly different quarter inch seams so I put her two on the back because they were smaller than mine. :)

This was our last collaboration while she was alive. She got sick and was in the hospital and then a nursing home all summer and passed away at the end of September and we buried her the day before her 94th birthday. 

It has been really hard since her death. I started this blog because I felt I had to carry on. There is so much to learn and do and I love the art of quilt-making and the feeling I get when I can drop off a charity quilt or two. 

I am hooked. Just signing up for a Quilt-a-long or posting your work for others to see has made me come out of my shell. I love the trends in quilting now and the modern fresh feel. I hope I can carry on the legacy in my family and that my mom is proud I didn't quit sewing after she passed. 

My first taste of really nice fabric. I was sent some lovely scraps last year from +Pat Bravo over at Art Gallery Fabrics.

Who knew there was so much variety and quality in fabrics. I have come a long way from cutting squares out of used clothing to make into quilts. 

Linky up to Sew Linky Thursday